How are you feeling today? In French, you might use the verb sentir or the noun sentiment to express this idea. But the world of emotions is vast and colorful, and French offers a rich palette of words to describe exactly what's on your mind and in your heart. Learning these different terms will not only expand your vocabulary but also help you connect with native speakers on a deeper, more emotional level. Let's dive into 9 essential ways to talk about "feeling" in French!

The standard 'feeling' – un sentiment

The most direct and common translation for a 'feeling' in French is un sentiment. It's a versatile, foundational word that covers a wide range of internal states.

Un sentiment typically refers to a lasting and often complex emotional state that comes from the heart or mind. It's less about a sudden, fleeting reaction and more about a deeper, more sustained inner experience. Think of love, friendship, gratitude, or jealousy.

A crucial point to remember is that sentiment is a masculine noun in French. You will always see it as un sentiment (a feeling) or le sentiment (the feeling). This is true regardless of the gender of the person experiencing the feeling.

Un sentiment is very often followed by de + a noun to specify the nature of the feeling. This is a common construction you'll encounter frequently:

un sentiment de joie (a feeling of joy)
un sentiment de tristesse (a feeling of sadness)
un sentiment de sécurité (a feeling of security)

While related, un sentiment is different from une émotion. An émotion (like la colère - anger, or la surprise - surprise) is generally considered more intense, immediate, and short-lived. A sentiment is what can develop and last after an emotion has passed. For example, an event might cause the émotion of anger, which could then develop into a lasting sentiment of resentment.

In its plural form, les sentiments is often used to refer to 'feelings' in a general sense, especially romantic ones. A common phrase is parler de ses sentiments, which means 'to talk about one's feelings'.

💡 * J'ai un étrange sentiment à propos de cette maison. (I have a strange feeling about this house.)

L'amitié est un sentiment très puissant. (Friendship is a very powerful feeling.)

Il a du mal à exprimer ses sentiments. (He has difficulty expressing his feelings.)

Un sentiment de soulagement m'a envahi. (A feeling of relief washed over me.)

Elle ne voulait pas blesser ses sentiments. (She didn't want to hurt his feelings.)

1. The General Term for 'Emotion': Une Émotion

The most direct and general term for 'emotion' in French is une émotion. It's a feminine noun that covers the broad concept of a strong feeling deriving from one's circumstances, mood, or relationships with others.

Like its English counterpart, une émotion is a broad term used in both everyday conversation and more formal or psychological contexts. It refers to the full spectrum of feelings, from joy and surprise to sadness and anger. The adjective form is émotif/émotive.

You would use une émotion when you are speaking about emotions as a concept. For example, you might discuss controlling your emotions (gérer ses émotions) or being overwhelmed by emotion (submergé par l'émotion).

It's often contrasted with un sentiment (a feeling). While une émotion is typically seen as a more intense and immediate reaction (like fear or surprise), un sentiment is considered more lasting and internally processed, like love (l'amour) or nostalgia (la nostalgie).

In its plural form, les émotions, it refers to the range of different emotions a person can experience. It's very common to hear phrases like les émotions fortes (strong emotions) or un tourbillon d'émotions (a whirlwind of emotions).

💡 * Il a du mal à exprimer ses émotions.

La joie est une émotion puissante.

Elle était submergée par l'émotion en recevant le prix.

Ce film provoque beaucoup d'émotions différentes.

The 'physical sensation' – une sensation

When you want to talk about a physical feeling or perception in French, the go-to word is une sensation.

Une sensation refers to what your body physically experiences through your senses. It can be caused by an external stimulus, like the feeling of wind on your skin (une sensation de froid), or an internal one, like dizziness (une sensation de vertige).

The most important distinction to make is between une sensation (a physical feeling) and un sentiment (an emotional feeling). While you feel both, une sensation is tied to the body's direct perception, whereas un sentiment relates to emotions like love, happiness, or sadness.

A very common and useful phrase is avoir la sensation que..., which means "to have the feeling that..." or "to feel as if...". This construction is often used to express an intuition that originates from a physical feeling or a strong gut instinct.

You can easily describe the type of sensation by adding an adjective or using the de + noun structure. For example, you can have une sensation agréable (a pleasant sensation) or une sensation de brûlure (a burning sensation).

💡 * J'ai une drôle de sensation dans l'estomac. (I have a funny feeling in my stomach.)

La sensation du soleil sur la peau est très agréable. (The sensation of the sun on the skin is very pleasant.)

Elle a eu la sensation que quelqu'un l'observait. (She had the feeling that someone was watching her.)

Le patient décrit une sensation de picotement dans les doigts. (The patient describes a tingling sensation in his fingers.)

The 'impression' or 'gut feeling' – une impression

The French noun une impression directly translates to 'an impression' in English. It refers to a feeling, idea, or effect produced on the mind or senses.

Beyond its literal meaning, une impression is the perfect way to express a 'gut feeling' or a 'hunch'. It captures an intuitive sense about a situation that isn't necessarily based on concrete facts.

You will frequently hear this term in the phrase J'ai l'impression que..., which means 'I have the feeling that...' or 'I get the impression that...'. This is a key structure for expressing subjective opinions or predictions.

Remember, impression is a feminine noun in French. Therefore, it must always be paired with feminine articles and adjectives, such as une bonne impression (a good impression) or la première impression (the first impression).

💡 * J'ai l'impression qu'il nous cache quelque chose. (I have a feeling he's hiding something from us.)

Ma première impression de la ville était très positive. (My first impression of the city was very positive.)

Elle m'a laissé une drôle d'impression. (She left me with a strange feeling.)

Fais confiance à ton impression, elle a souvent raison. (Trust your gut feeling, it's often right.)

The 'mood' or 'state of mind' – un état d'âme

The phrase un état d'âme literally translates to “a state of the soul.” This gives you a clue about its depth; it's not just a fleeting emotion but a more profound inner condition.

It refers to a complex mood, a deep feeling, or a particular state of mind, often involving introspection or moral consideration. It's more nuanced than simply being triste (sad) or content (happy).

You'll most often hear this expression used in the negative: ne pas avoir d'états d'âme. This idiom means 'to have no scruples,' 'to be ruthless,' or 'to act without moral hesitation.' It describes someone who is unsentimental and brutally efficient.

In a more neutral sense, especially in art or literature, un état d'âme can simply describe a character's complex psychological state or inner world. For example, a painting might capture a specific état d'âme.

To summarize, use un état d'âme to describe a deep, complex mood. However, be prepared to hear it most often in the negative form to describe someone who acts without sentimentality or moral doubt.

💡 * Il a pris cette décision difficile sans états d'âme. (He made this difficult decision without any qualms.)

Ce n'est pas le moment pour les états d'âme, il faut agir. (This is no time for soul-searching, we must act.)

Son dernier roman explore les états d'âme d'un soldat. (His latest novel explores the inner turmoil of a soldier.)

C'est un homme d'affaires qui n'a pas d'états d'âme. (He's a businessman who has no scruples.)

The 'hunch' or 'premonition' – un pressentiment

The 'hunch' or 'premonition' – un pressentiment

In French, un pressentiment is the go-to word for a 'hunch,' 'premonition,' or a 'gut feeling.' It describes an intuition about a future event, especially one that you can't logically explain. This is a standard, common term, not slang.

Un pressentiment often carries a sense of foreboding or anxiety. While it can be neutral, it's most frequently used to talk about a feeling that something bad or unpleasant is about to happen. For a more neutral or positive feeling, the word une intuition might be used instead.

The related verb is pressentir, which means 'to sense' or 'to have a premonition of.' You can use it to actively describe the feeling. For instance, Je pressens que ce sera difficile means 'I have a feeling this will be difficult.'

💡 * J'ai un mauvais pressentiment à propos de ce voyage. (I have a bad feeling about this trip.)

Elle a suivi son pressentiment et a décidé de ne pas y aller. (She followed her hunch and decided not to go.)

C'est juste un pressentiment, mais je crois qu'il nous cache quelque chose. (It's just a hunch, but I think he's hiding something from us.)

Il a pressenti le danger juste à temps. (He sensed the danger just in time.)

The 'sense' of something (e.g., guilt, duty) – un sens

To express having a 'sense' of an abstract concept like duty, humor, or responsibility in French, you use the masculine noun un sens. It's the direct equivalent for this specific context.

The most common phrase is avoir le sens de + [noun]. For example, 'avoir le sens du devoir' translates to 'to have a sense of duty.' Remember that the preposition de contracts with the articles le and les to become du and des.

Be aware that un sens has other primary meanings, such as 'meaning' (le sens d'un mot) or 'direction' (un sens unique). The context and the structure avoir le sens de are what specify you're talking about an innate feeling or awareness of something.

💡 * Mon frère a un excellent sens de l'humour. (My brother has an excellent sense of humor.)

En tant que soldat, il a un fort sens du devoir. (As a soldier, he has a strong sense of duty.)

Elle a perdu son sens des réalités. (She has lost her sense of reality.)

Pour ce travail, il faut avoir le sens des responsabilités. (For this job, you must have a sense of responsibility.)

The 'vibe' or 'atmosphere' – une ambiance

The 'vibe' or 'atmosphere' – une ambiance

The feminine noun une ambiance is the perfect French word for 'atmosphere,' 'vibe,' or 'mood.' It’s incredibly common and is used to describe the overall feeling of a place, an event, or a social situation.

French speakers frequently pair ambiance with adjectives to describe a scene. You'll often hear expressions like une bonne ambiance ('a good vibe') or une ambiance festive ('a festive atmosphere'). This makes it essential for expressing your feelings about your surroundings.

From a quiet, cozy restaurant to a loud, energetic concert, ambiance is the go-to term. It captures that intangible quality that makes a place or moment feel a certain way, making it a cornerstone of everyday descriptive language in French.

💡 * Il y avait une super ambiance à la fête hier soir. (There was a great vibe at the party last night.)

Je n'aime pas ce restaurant, l'ambiance est trop bruyante. (I don't like this restaurant, the atmosphere is too noisy.)

Le décor et la musique créent une ambiance très relaxante. (The decor and music create a very relaxing atmosphere.)

Une bonne ambiance au travail est importante pour la productivité. (A good atmosphere at work is important for productivity.)

The 'feeling' as an opinion – un avis

When your 'feeling' about something is actually your opinion, thought, or point of view, the French word you need is un avis. It's important to note that un avis is not about an emotional or physical sensation, but rather an intellectual judgment or perspective.

The most common way to express your opinion using this word is with the phrase à mon avis, which literally translates to 'in my opinion' or 'to my mind'. This is the perfect equivalent for starting a sentence where you might say 'My feeling is...' in English when expressing a viewpoint.

You will also use avis when asking someone for their thoughts. For example, you might ask, Quel est ton avis sur ce film? (What is your opinion on this film?). This shows that avis is used for solicited or unsolicited viewpoints on a specific topic.

Remember, if you want to talk about a gut feeling or an emotional state, un avis is the wrong word. It is strictly for opinions and thoughts. For emotions, you would use words like un sentiment or une sensation.

💡 * À mon avis, ce restaurant est le meilleur de la ville. (In my opinion, this restaurant is the best in town.)

Je voudrais avoir ton avis sur ma nouvelle robe. (I would like to have your opinion on my new dress.)

Il a changé d'avis à la dernière minute. (He changed his mind at the last minute.)

Quel est votre avis sur la question ? (What is your opinion on the matter?)

Are there other ways to say 'feeling' in French?

Our list features the primary ways to talk about feelings, like un sentiment and une émotion. However, French offers a rich and nuanced vocabulary to describe the full spectrum of human experience, from fleeting sensations to profound emotional states.

You can expand your vocabulary by doing an online search for “comment exprimer ses émotions en français” or looking up specific feelings you want to describe.

When you find a new word, pay close attention to its context. Is it a physical sensation or a complex sentiment? Grasping these subtleties is crucial for sounding natural and precise.

Pay attention as you listen to French music, watch movies, and read literature. You’ll discover countless authentic ways French speakers articulate their inner worlds, which often reveal a lot about the culture itself.

For a deeper dive into synonyms and related concepts, the WordReference page for sentiment is a fantastic resource. It provides context and example sentences to guide your understanding.

I hope this article has been helpful on your journey to express yourself more fully in French. Let’s end with a perfect quote from the French philosopher Blaise Pascal: Le cœur a ses raisons que la raison ne connaît point. (The heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing.)

'9 ways to say "feeling" in French'